Loren is interested in Ross from the first night she meets him. But despite what her roommate’s brother says, Loren doesn’t think Ross has the slightest interest in her.

Ross is more than interested in Loren. Unfortunately, he’s not sure she can handle the real him, his darker side.

Until the night her world is ripped apart at the seams, and Ross can’t fix it despite desperately wishing he could. The only thing he can do is help Loren through it the best he can, and spend the rest of their lives together showing her how he feels.

Now it’s thirty years later, and the past comes calling. Loren doesn’t know all the facts, but she knows Ross is the center of her world. She’ll do anything and everything in her power to shield him. Because even though some things can’t be fixed, Ross made them right. And Loren will face the past alone, if necessary, to save their future.

A Siren Erotic Romance

Tymber Dalton is a Siren-exclusive author.

User Reviews

Such tragedy that turns out alright but will leave both Loren and Ross touched by it forever. Don't want to say much more and give anything away.

Excerpt

STORY EXCERPT

Saturday evening, Loren had opted for easy, something she couldn’t possibly screw up unless she set fire to the stove in the process. Spaghetti with meat sauce, including mushrooms. Not just out of a jar, either, but homemade sauce. With a salad and garlic bread, it was easy on the budget and on her nerves.

Emily and Mark had gone home for the weekend for some family stuff, leaving Loren alone with Ross for the night. Loren had time to grab a shower, and she changed clothes three different times before Ross rang the bell downstairs at 7:29.

Dammit.

She stared at her outfit. She was trying for a flirty but casual vibe with a sundress she hadn’t worn in a few months. She rarely wore skirts or dresses anyway. It was shorts or jeans, depending on what she was doing. Even at work, where their dress code was casual, all the employees wearing T-shirts with the coffee shop’s logo on them.

Too late to change again now, she buzzed Ross in and fought the urge to be standing there in the open doorway when he reached her apartment.

Although she was standing at the door and looking through the viewfinder when he knocked.

After a deep breath that did jack shit to calm her nerves, she opened the door for him.

He carried a cheesecake in his hands. “I decided to bring dessert. I hope that’s okay.”

D’oh! She’d forgotten about a dessert. “It’s perfect,” she said. “Come on in.”

They exchanged an awkward, laughter-filled half hug around the cheesecake before he walked in.

“Smells great, whatever it is,” he said.

“Spaghetti.” She took the cheesecake from him and went to put it in their fridge. “Hope that’s all right.”

“Perfect. Can I do anything to help?”

“Nope. It’s ready. Just have to finish browning the garlic bread.”

She turned and found herself toe-to-toe with him. The gulp was a nervous reaction to the way her stomach dropped in a good way as she stared up into his eyes.

“So, did you make me my cookies?” he asked.

There was something about his tone of voice, the depth, the hidden meanings that stirred things inside her in an uncomfortably good way.

It took her a minute to realize what he meant. “Oh, no. Sorry. I forgot all about the cookies.”

A sexy smirk curved his lips. “Then I guess you’re still indebted to me, aren’t you?”

More flutters deep inside her. Holy moly, he was hot. “I guess so.”

“I’m off work on Wednesday. How about I come over for dinner again? More vig for forgetting the cookies.”

“Deal.” The word escaped her before she’d even realized she’d said it.

Spend another evening with Ross?

Hell, yes.

They ate, he helped her clean up, and they talked as they sat and watched TV until after midnight.

Loren wasn’t sure if Ross was as into her as Mark had said, but even she couldn’t deny there was an easy attraction to him that grew stronger by the hour.

She wouldn’t rush into anything.

He was in pre-law and still trying to decide where to go to law school. His father was pushing him to go to UPenn, but he’d been accepted at several schools.

“Sounds like your dad has some opinions,” she said.

Ross let out a snort. “He sure does.” She realized Ross didn’t talk about his family a lot. She got the impression he wasn’t thrilled with them, but she didn’t feel like she should pry.

“No siblings?” she asked. The more they talked, the more she realized she didn’t know about him.

“Nope. Only child. You?”

“Ditto.”

He glanced at the clock hanging by the kitchen doorway just as a yawn escaped her. Contagious, he yawned, too.

“Time for me to think about heading home,” he said, making no move to stand.

She smiled. “I’m not rushing you out the door.”

“I know. But I don’t want tongues to wag.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully, as if worrying about others’ opinions was the last thing on his list.

“I’m a big girl. I can handle it.”

He reached out and caressed her cheek. “I’m sure you can. But I’m a gentleman. And I’d like to extort a few more meals out of you before I sully your reputation.” He smiled.

An overwhelming urge to throw herself into his lap swept through her, one she barely managed to fight back.

Something about Ross seemed far older than his age. She’d heard about “old souls” and wondered if he was one. She could easily picture him as a lawyer, calmly dealing with cases and clients with a surety and finesse many never had. Like a steady, calm fog rolling in, before you knew it, he was there and his presence blanketed everything.

In a good way.

“Promises, promises,” she finally settled on as an answer.

“Besides, you don’t even know if you want to handle the real me,” he mysteriously said.

“Oh, I’m sure I can.”

He finally stood, holding a hand out to help her up off the couch. “So you say. Let’s have a few more dinners, at least, before we find out.” He pulled her in for a hug she desperately didn’t want to end. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. I’m in no rush. And other than school and work, I’m all yours.”

She snuggled just a little bit closer in his arms at that statement. It sent a thrill through her, even though she knew it wasn’t anywhere close to a promise or even a hint of one.

Just a subtle reassurance.

When he finally left a few minutes later, she watched from the living room window when he emerged onto the sidewalk below. He looked up and waved before walking toward where his car was parked.

She waited until his headlights disappeared before closing the curtains.

I don’t know what it is about him, but I want to spend a lot more time with him.

ADULT EXCERPT

Ross laced his fingers through hers and led her to the bedroom, leaving her standing near the end of the bed. Loren’s heart raced, fear and love and excitement mixing and melding and becoming a delicious, sexy haze clouding her mind and making her clit throb and her juices flow.

Then Ross pointed at the floor and snapped his fingers.

Loren sank to her knees, her eyes on him.

His smile twisted her heart around his soul. Anything he wanted, she’d do it. She trusted him.

At any time before now, he could have easily seduced her, taken advantage of her, and he hadn’t. He had never harmed her.

And, instinctively, she knew he would rather die than harm her.

He stepped over to her and her face was at cock level. The bulge in his jeans was perfectly positioned, she could nuzzle it, if she wanted to.

He stroked her hair, eventually gathering a handful of it in his left hand, tenderly fisting it, not hurting her, but definitely in control.

“Unfasten my jeans, baby,” he said. “Take it out.”

With trembling hands she did, wanting to not mess this up, wanting to please him.

He made a soft, low sound when her fingers touched his flesh, his cock rigid as she fished it out of his briefs. She wanted to immediately engulf it with her mouth, but his hand in her hair prevented that.

She knew from that moment on that, besides his sexy smile, she’d do anything to hear him coo those three words.

Three. Little. Words.

With just the tip between her lips, she flicked her tongue against the head, along the slit, tasting salty pre-cum. She wanted more, wanted it all.

Another low hiss escaped him. “I don’t want to blow, baby. Take it slow. Take it easy.”

He took his time sliding his cock into her mouth, holding her in place by the hair. She didn’t miss the fact that he was careful, gentle, going slow, not wanting to gag her on it.

His eyes never left hers. “There might be times where I make you kneel there and give me a long, slow blow job, baby. You going to be okay with that?”

She couldn’t nod her head very much, but she hoped he understood yes, she was really okay with that. She wanted this, wanted him.

With his free hand, he stroked her hair. “There might be nights where I get home, and all I want is to sit down with my cock in your mouth while I stare at you. Or I might tie you up and fuck you until you come so many times you beg me for mercy. Or I might put you over my lap and spank that gorgeous ass of yours until it’s nice and pink before I bend you over the bed and fuck you silly. You going to be okay with that, baby?”

She couldn’t speak with his cock down her throat, so she nodded,

He smiled, playful, tender. “I need this not just to be in charge, but so I can protect you. Take care of you. I want you to be your own person, strong, able to take care of yourself when I’m not around. But when we’re together, I’m in charge. You follow me, you let me take care of you. I slay the dragons. It’s not just about ordering you around. It’s about all of it. It means I make a promise to you, for life, to always take care of you. Protect you. This isn’t just a one-sided, you give and I take.”

He withdrew his cock until just the tip remained between her lips. Desperately, she licked and sucked at it, trying to get him to let her work on it again. All she wanted to do was please him.

Yes, he’d protect her. He had protected her. If she hadn’t gone to that party, that night wouldn’t have happened.

But that wasn’t his fault.

And he’d made things right.

Caressing her cheek with his free hand, he smiled down at her. “Unless it’s cold, baby, or we have guests, you stay naked when we’re together alone at home. Understand?”

She nodded.

He eased his cock between her lips again, his moan matching hers as he filled her mouth.

“Such a good girl,” he whispered. “My good girl.”

Who was she kidding? She was in love with him. Maybe she had been from the very beginning. No way in hell would she leave him. Ever.

Never.

Then he pulled her off his cock, tipping her head back and staring down at her. “Time for my good girl to get her spanking.”

Her heart raced, fear and passion twined together. “Yes, Sir.”

“Are you even going to ask why?”

“Because you want me to see what it’s like.”

“Yes and no. This is a punishment.”

“For what?”

He bent and leaned in, eye-to-eye. “For going to that party without asking my permission first. You are not responsible for what happened, and I do not blame you. I blame myself for not telling you all this sooner. I wasn’t able to protect you, and that’s my fault. From this point forward, unless it’s to work, class, or the store, unless I’ve cleared it first, you ask me before you go without me. Understand?”